Begin with the Prayer of Abandonment.

It is not easy to entrust oneself to God’s mercy, because it is an abyss beyond our comprehension. But we must! … “Oh, I am a great sinner!” “All the better! Go to Jesus: He likes you to tell him these things!” He forgets, He has a very special capacity for forgetting. He forgets, He kisses you, He embraces you and He simply says to you: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more” (Jn 8:11).

— Pope Francis, Homily on March 17, 2013

When was the last time you apologized to your spouse for something you’d done?

When was the last time you gave your spouse a “pass” for something he (or she) did to you?

In marriage, as within no other relationship, do we get to experience the exhilaration of mercy, of extending (or receiving) forgiveness not just for the slights of the moment, but the truly awful stuff that could derail a relationship.

Are you willing to imitate Jesus, not just in forgiving . . . but in forgetting as well?